Brussels - Washington: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies
Both Brussels and Washington agreed to indict Putin and his regime in Moscow for the killing of opposition politician Navalny. A European statement issued in Brussels by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy coordinator Josep Borrell said, “We are shocked and saddened by the reports received about the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.” The statement, which was distributed on Friday evening, said: “Our hearts go out to his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, his family, and to everyone who believes in Russia and abroad in a democratic and peaceful future for Russia.” We will honor his memory as a freedom fighter.
He added: Alexei Navalny has shown incredible courage and determination throughout his life. He bravely returned to Russia after a hideous assassination attempt. He gave hope to Russia's democrats and civil society, which is why many people from all over the country joined his actions and listened to his messages.
The Russian authorities responded to his legitimate political and anti-corruption activities with politically motivated measures, sending him to a high-security penal colony far from Moscow, inaccessible to his family and friends, and harassing his lawyers.
We have repeatedly called on Russia to guarantee his safety and health, and have raised concerns about his repeated ill-treatment, unjustified and unlawful disciplinary measures, and harassment amounting to physical and psychological torture at the hands of prison authorities.
He has been slowly killed by President Putin and his regime, who fear nothing more than opposition from their own people.
We will spare no effort to hold the Russian leadership and political authorities accountable. We demand that the Russian authorities reveal all the facts about Navalny's death. Russia must immediately release all other political prisoners.
For his part, US President Joe Biden said that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, “is responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny,” and stressed that he was not surprised, but rather angry, after the death of the Russian opposition leader.
The American President said - in the White House after officials in the Russian Prison Service announced on Friday the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, according to the American Al-Hurra channel - “We do not know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that Navalny’s death was the result of something Putin did.”
He added that he was "considering taking further steps to impose sanctions on Russia in the wake of Navalny's death," and praised the opposition leader for "standing up courageously in the face of the corruption and violence of Putin's government."
The White House is still seeking more information about Navalny's death in a Russian penal colony north of the Arctic Circle, where he was sent less than two months ago.
Biden had said in statements after his meeting with Putin in Geneva in June 2021 that Navalny's death would have devastating consequences for Putin.
Cairo News Channel reported in a breaking news story that the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the United States must exercise restraint and wait for the forensic results regarding Navalny’s death.
The Russian Federal Investigative Committee said that investigations are underway to uncover the circumstances of the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in prison.
A statement by the aforementioned Russian committee added yesterday, Friday: “The Investigative Directorate of the Russian Investigative Committee in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Oblast organized a procedural investigation into the death of Alexei Navalny.”
The statement explained that, in accordance with the procedures stipulated in the law, a set of investigative and operational measures were taken to determine all the circumstances of the incident.